Radial flow towards wells

We assume that drainage area is circular, as shown in Fig 1. The well is located in the centre.
Reservoir has constant height, and overlying and underlying layers are closed. This will be
reasonable representative for inflow to most vertical wells.
Figure 2.1: Radial influ
!ost reservoirs are more or less heterogeneous. "f heterogeneity is evenly distributed and the
etent of these is small when compared to reservoir si#e, the reservoir will li$ely behave as
homogenous. Thus, we assume homogeneous reservoir properties %constant height, constant
permeability, etc.&
2.1 Steady-state production %or 'teady(state flow&
'teady(state means that nothing changes over time. The volume produced from the well ( )w,
will be e*ual to the volume of fluid passed through the reservoir from outer boundary: )w + )e.
Flow through the circle around the well, )%r&, will then be constant, regardless of distance. This
can *uantify that
Q(r) = qo Bo %2(1&
qo : production %'m
,
-s&
Bo : Formation volume factor %m
,
-'m
,
&
With evenly distributed inflow through the perimeter, we will have radial flow towards the well.
Radial .arcy(e*uation associates fluid flow to pressure
( )
dr
dp k
h r 2
r Q
v
o

= =
%2(2&
/y combining and integrating %2(1& and %2(2&, we find pressure of the reservoir
( )
w
o o o
w
r
r
ln
h k 2
B q
p r p

+ =
%2(,&
0verage pressure is generally defined as
dV p
V
p
v
R

=
1
%2(1&
For a cylindrical drainage area, the volume i: V= r
2
h. 2ntering this and %2(,& into %2(1&, we get

+ =
e
r
o
w
o o o
w 2
e
R
dr h r 2
r
r
ln
h k 2
B q
p
h r
1
p

%2(3&
/y integrating %2(3&, we can epress steady(state productivity inde as:

=
2
1
r
r
ln B
h k 2
p p
q
J
w
e
o o
w R
o
s

%2(4&
From %2(4& follows that if the permeability, viscosity and oil formation volume factor are
independent from pressure and rate, the steady(state productivity inde will be constant.
2.2 Pseudo-steady-state production %or pseudo(steady(state flow&
!ost reservoirs are finite, so that the pressure drops when the oil is tapped. With 5pseudo(steady(
state production5, we understand that the drop in pressure over the time will be virtually the same
everywhere in the reservoir. This is achieved for most finite reservoirs.
0s the pressure falls, the reservoir fluid epands. We can *uantify this with compressibility
e*uation:
dp
dV
V
1
c =
%2(6&
7: compressibility of the reservoir fluid
8: volume of reservoir fluid %or volume of fluid in the reservoir ( 9&
dp: pressure drop
dV: change in fluid volume per pressure drop
/y pressure reduction, fluid epands and eceeds the reservoir pore volume. 0dditional fluid
volume is production. We can epress the rate as a change in volume over the time:
dt
dp
V c
dt
dV
Q = = %2(
:&
Flow into the well corresponds to the production
( )
o o w
B q r Q = %2(
;&
'ince the reservoir is finite, there will be no flow through the outer boundary
( ) < =
e
r Q
%2(
1<&
"n between, the flow increase proportionally with the pore volume that contributes
rdr
dt
dp
h 2 c
dt
dp
V d c dQ

= =

%2(11&
=nder stationary conditions, the variables inside parenthesis in %2(11& remain a constant. With
integrating %2(11& and using %2(;&, %2(1<&, we find the flow distribution
( )

=
2
e
o o
r
r
1 B q r Q
%2(12&
Figure 2.2 illustrates steady(state and pseudo(steady(state flu %for production: 1<<< m
,
-d&.
'teady(state flu is constant, while pseudo(steady(state flu declines against the outer limit.
Figure 2.2: 'teady(state and pseudo(steady(state influ
To find the pseudo(steady(state productivity inde, we first combine and integrate .arcy>s
e*uation %2(2& and influ relationship %2(12&. This gives the pressure distribution between the
wells and the outer boundary
( )

+ =
2
e
2
w
2
w
o o o
w
r
r r
2
1
r
r
ln
h k 2
B q
p r p

%2(1,&
Figure 2., compares the pressure at the des$top %2(,& and pseudo(steady(state influ %2(1,&. The
pressure gradient is almost the same at near wellbore %at the well bore it will be e*ual, since the
influes are the same&. Farther out in the reservoir significant differences are seen.
Figure 2.,: 'teady(state pressure profile and pseudo(steady(state influ
/y calculating the average pressure %2(1& for pseudo(stationary pressure distribution %2(1,&, we
find the pseudo(stationary productivity inde. %The calculation is similar to that for stationary
influ %2(3&, and is left as a challenge for interested readers.& The result, after omitting
insignificant contributions, is

=
4
3
r
r
ln B
h k 2
J
w
e
o o
ps

%2(11&
2*uation %2(11& indicates that if the permeability, viscosity and formation volume factor are
independent of pressure and rate, it will pseudo(steady(state productivity inde will be constant.
2.3 Transient flow
0fter the start(up, or change in rate, constant influ around the well will soon be established.
?radually, flow and pressure gradient propagate further out. The e*uation of continuity epresses
such changes over the time. "n a radial reservoir
( ) ( )
t
v r
r r
1
=

%2(13&
The e*uation of continuity %2(13&, combined with .arcy>s flow e*uation %2(2&,
t
p
k
c
t
p
p
1
k r
p
r
r r
1

%2(14&
For homogenous reservoir and constant production, pressure change in time and space can be
estimated by solving %2(14&. 0t constant production, until the outer boundary is reached, the
solution becomes
1
d!
!
e
h k 4
B q
p ) t " r ( p
#
!
o o o
$

+ =

@ there:
t k 4
r c
#
2
w o

=
%2(16&
pi ( initial pressure %Aa&
t( time %s&
The eponential integral in %2(16& is approimately by series epansion
2
( ) ( )
( )

=
1 n
n n
1
% n n
# 1
# ln # & %2(1:&
B + 2ulerCs $onstant@ % B + 1.6:1....&
We can then write e*uation of pressure %2(16&
( ) ( )

+ + = = ...
t 4
1
4
1
t 4
1 t 4
ln
h k 4
B q
p t p t " r p
2
' '
' o o o
$ '

(2-19)
There dimensionless time: t'" is defined as: 2
o
'
r c
t k
t

=
Figure 2.1 illustrates how the pressure drop, calculated by e*uation %2(1;&, propagates through
the reservoir
Figure 2.1: Aressure profile by transient flow

0fter a short time period, at well bore radius, the higher order terms of %2(1;& become negligible
and %2(1;& may be simplified
( ) ( )
2
w o
o o o
$
'w o o o
$ w w
r c
t k 4
ln
h k 4
B q
p
t 4
ln
h k 4
B q
p t " r p t p

+ =

+ =
(2-20)
The simplification above %2(2<& is considered acceptable in the time period
From:
1
r c
kt
t
2
w o
'w
> =

To:
1 .
r c
kt
t
2
e
'e
< =

The lower time limit: t'w, is associated with the omitting of the higher order terms of %2(1;&. The
upper time limit: t'w, is associated with the assumption of infinite reservoir. When the pressure
change is noticeable at the outer boundary, the reservoir will no longer behave as infinite.
0fter a somewhat longer period of time, pressure will stabili#e and then fall steadily over the
entire drainage area. The time it ta$es to reach such pseudo(stationary conditions, is associated to
dimensionless time as follows
3 .
r c
kt
t
2
e
'e
> =

(2-21)
From %2(2<&, we can formally epress 5transient productivity inde5

+
=

=
t ln
r c
k 4
ln B
h k 2
r c
t k 4
ln
2
1
B
h k 2
p p
q
J
2
w o
o o 2
w o
o o
w $
o
t

%2(22&
"n other words, within transient area the relationship between production and pressure drop will
decline over time. Figure 2.3 below shows how transient productivity inde approaches pseudo(
steady(state flow over time.
Figure 2.3: Transient effect on productivity inde
"n Figure 2.3 is well radius and distance to the outer boundary assumed as follows: rw = .1(
and re = 3 (. Transient productivity inde is assumed %or calculated with& by %2(22& and
pseudo(steady(state by %2(11&.
2.4 ro! transient to pseudo-steady-state influ" (optional)
We have previously derived pseudo(steady(state influ %2(12&. 'ince pseudo(steady(state means
that the pressure falls steadily in the reservoir, we can epress pressure variation in time and
space as follows
( ) ( )

+ =
4
3
r
r
ln
h k 2
B q
t p t p
w
e o o o
R w

%2(2,&
Areviously, we derived the relationship between the reservoir and production time %1(;&. This is
reproduced below %we define now producing as negative&
( ) t q
cV
B
p t p
o
o
$ R
+ = %2(21&
/y combining %2(2,& and %2(21&, we can describe pressure change after pseudo(steady(state
conditions are met
( )

+ + =

+ + =
'w
2
e
2
w
w
e o o o
$ 'e
w
e o o o
$ w
t
r
r
2
4
3
r
r
ln
h k 2
B q
p t 2
4
3
r
r
ln
h k 2
B q
p t p

%2(23&
We have a relatively simple solution for the transient response %2(2<& and pseudo(steady(state
response %2(23&. "n the between period, the response is influenced by the outer boundary, but still
not have reached the pseudo(steady(state state. This transition period is defined by the upper
limit for the %2(2<& and %2(21&:
3 . t 1 .
'e
< <
%2(24&
Df course, it is also possible to predict pressure response in transition period
,
. Eowever, this is
more complicated than the relatively simple relationships presented above. For most reservoirs
transition area will be relatively short.
References
1 !attews, 7.'. and Russell, ..?.
Aressure /uildup and Flow Tests in Wells
'A2 !onograph vol.1, Eenry F. .oherty series
'A2 of 0"!2, G.H. 1;46
2 0bramowit#, !. I 'tegun, ". 0. %eds.&
Eandboo$ of !athematical Functions
.over Aublications, inc., GH, 1;62
, van 2verdingen, 0.F.:
JThe s$in effect and its influence on the production capacity of a wellK
Aetr. Trans. of 0"!2, vol 1;:. 1;3,, p 162